Dental unit



Nov. 15, 1927.

A. F. PIEPER DENTAL UNIT Fild Spt. 8l. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. F. PIEPER Nov. l 5,` 1927.

DENTAL UNIT l Filed sept. 8. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 15,- y1927.

UNITED STATES .ALPHONSE F. PIEPER, QF ROCHESTER. NEW YORK- DENTAL UNIT.

Application illed. Septeinber 8, 1925. Serial No. 54,896.HE|SSU My invention. relates to dental units of the type disclosed in Patent No. 1,376,356, issued April 26, 1921, to scar H. Pieper and Alphonse F. Pieper, and it contemplates improved construction .and arran ement which will render the unit more exible and its use more convenient. It is very important that the instruments, such as those fed by air, gas, or electricity, be so located that they can be 'used accurately and eiliciently by the operator. The important object of the invention is, therefore, to so support such instruments that they may be positioned convenient for use throughout a l5 wide range relative to the operator and the patient and so that, when not in use, they can be moved to be out of the way. In accordance with my invention I place the instruments together with supply cords or tubes in a cabinet on the endof a jointed arm, and preferably below the tray Jfor holding loose instruments and materials. This arrangement will bring all the instruments together so that they can be moved to the operator. Another feature of the invention is to have the cords extensible from the cabinet, so that after, the cabinet has been swung to the most `convenient position, the instruments with their respective cords or tubes may be selectively drawn out of the cabinet, the cabinet adequately protecting the instruments and their cords when not in use.

On the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a unit showing my improved instrument supporting arrangement ap lied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarge plan view of the cabinet and its supporting arm, the instrument tray bein removed;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing the cabinet andpart of its supporting arm in vertical cross section.

As in the arrangement disclosed in the patent referred to, the pedestal 1 contains the various trunk lines for gas, electricity, or air with which thek various tools and appliances are to be supplied. The bracket 2 supportsv the cu'spidor and water supply controlling apparatus (not shown), while the bracket 3 primarily lsupports the electric motor 4 for drivin the drills and other appliances, and this racket 3 also serves `for the support of the jointed arms 5 and 6, which at the outer ends support my immost convenient .position for use by the.

jointed bracket structure. Surrounding the y hub is the cylindrical shell 11 between whose and the lower part of the lower yperipher cabinet floor 12. The shell hub is secured t e 11 is cylindrical, and the hub 9 is providedwith a series of external steps 13 for supporting the cylindrical drums or discs 14. Adjacent to its outer periphery each drum has the 'vertical flange 15 formn with the disc a channel 16 for receiving t e cord or tube 17 of one of the instruments designated as a whole A. Four instruments and four drums are shown, and in Fig. 2 the top drum supports the tube 17 lfor the hot air syringe 18. Between the drums the hub 9 has the openings 19 through which the inner ends of the various cords or tubes extend for connection with air, electric or gas supply. The inner end of each cord or tube 1s thus anchored to the hub, and on each Wheel is a guide sheave structure 20 varound which the respective tube or cord passes before engaging in the respective peripheral channel 16, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The shell 11 has the opening 21 and theV drums are cut away to leave the clearance space 22v within the cabinet for the instruments and their supporting sleeves or sockets 23 which are shown secured to the door 24 hinged at 25 to the shell 11 at the edge of the opening 21.

When the unit is not in use, the instruments are all within their sockets 23 andthe door 24 is swung into closed position, so thatthe various tubes will be supported within the clearance space 22. When it is desired to useI the unit the door 24 is swung o en so that the desired instruments may e readily gripped and drawn outwardly for use. 'As the drums are mounted on the steps 13 Aof thehub 9 the will readily rotate to permit unwinding o the cord or tubes therefrom when the respective instrument is drawn away from the cabinet. To resist such rotation and also for automatically returning the drums and rewinding the cords thereon, the upper part of each. guide sheave 20 is providednwith a peripheral slot 26 for a cable 27. e outer end of each cable is secured to the hb as by means of a screw 28, while the inner part of each cable is secured to the sheave structure. Each sheave structure is rotatable about a head 29 at the upper end of a pin or post 30 secured to the respective drum, and to each post is secured the inner end of a spiral spring 31 whose outer end is secured to the sheavefstructure 20 f the corresponding drum. When an instrument is v drawn outwardly from the cabinet its drum instrument will be drawn back into its supporting socket 23. In order to guide and facilitate the operation of the cables, a guide post 32 is provided on each drum for the respective cable, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and. 3.

In order that a drum may be locked in its service position while the tool is being used, suitable latch mechanism may be provided. As shown, I have provided between the sheave structure of each drum and its supporting head 29, a V-shaped channel 33 in which is a ball 34, the arrangement being such that when the drum is rotated to unwind its cord the ball will be released and the drum may be readily rotated. A slight sudden release of the cord will, however, permit the respective sheave structure to suddenly retract and catch the ball 34 in .the narrow end of the wedge pocket 33, and

then .the cable sheave structure will be locked against further rotation and the respective drums will be held. After the operator is through using the instruments, a slight outward pull will causel release of the latch ball and then the spring will'be free to return the reel to its normal position. In the hot air syringe there is usually provided an electric heating coil overv which the air is passed to be heated before delivery from the tool nozzle. This tool must, therefore, be -supplied with air and electric'power. The tool 35 on the lower drum is used for supplying atomizing air flow and, therefore, requires air supply, while the instruments 36 and 37 on the intermediate drums require only electrical power. Within the outer arm 6 of the supporting bracket structure for the cabinet 7 is placed the air box or reservoir 38, with which the tubes for the instruments 18 and 35 connect to receive their air supply. These tubes specifically designated a and extend through their respective hub openings 19 and then downwardly through the hub bottom and to the air reservoir 38.

tric supply circuit, and the `cords designated specilically c and d, which extend from the instruments 36 andA 37, pass through their respective hub openings 19 and through the bottom of the hub and have their conductors connected withv the proper terminals 40, soI that the tools will receive the proper current supply. The conductors 41 in the tube a for the hot air syringe 18 are also connected with the proper electric terminals 40, so that the air heating goil will bc supplied with electric\current The outer arm 6 has the joint end 42 with which fits the joint end 43 of the inner arm 5, and these joint ends receive the hinge or pivot pin 44 which in this case is tubular for the flow of gas from the supply pipe 45 to a burner structure 46 through which the gas flow may be controlled by a valve 47. The gas pipe 45 extends through the hollow arm 5 and at its inner end connects with the pipe or tube 48, which at its lower end taps the outlet 49, which may be controlled by a valve 50. The air supply pipe 51 passes from the supply source at the interior of the pedestal 1, through the bracket 3, and then through the hollow arms 5 and 6 to the air reservoir 38. Likewise, the electric cable 52 extends from the pedestal through the bracket 3,

and through the hollow arms 5 and 6, and its conductors are connected with the terminals 40 ofthe terminal board 39. The air pipe and the cable preferably wind around the hinge pin 44, one or more times in order that there may be suiiicient slackness so that the arms 5 and 6 may be relatively swung. The tube 48 is also preferably flexible so that the entire bracket structure 5-6 may be swung around the axis of the bracket 3 on which it is mounted by means of a sleeve 53.

The top of the cabinet 7 is closed by a detachable cover 54 and the hub 9 is closed at its upper end by the plate 55 which has the central. pivot hole 56 for receiving the pin4 57 extending from the instrument tray 58. This tray supports the loose and miscellaneous instruments and appliances and material, and being directly over the cabinetl 7 practically all of the instruments are localized for the ready selection and use of the operator. By means of the swinging jointed bracket structure 5, 6, the cabinet and tray may-be swung into the most convenient position with reference to the patient and the operator, and then any of the tools in the cabinet can be withdnrawn there-4 from and used'with convenience and lelliciency by the operator. T1X1/"nen not in use the tools A are enclosed within the cabinet and fully protected. When the cabinet is to be used, the door 24is swung open to present the various instruments A for selection. By increasing the height of the cabinet any number of instrument supporting drums may be installed and the instruments connected with either the' air or the electric supply terminals 38 and 39.

Changes in modification can be made in thev construction and arrangement wit-hout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a dental unit, the combination of a supporting pedestal, a cabinet mounted on said pedestal, a stationary integral hub for said cabinet, a vertical tier of drums within said cabinet and mounted on said hub to rotate thereon, a power supply cord wound around each drum and anchored at its end to said hub, adental tool at the outer end of each cord, pull on an instrument causing rotation of the respective drum and unwindino;

of the tool cord therefrom whereby the tool- 'to said hub, a tool at the outer end of each cord. tool supporting sockets on said cabinet normally receiving said tools, pull on one of said tools causing release thereof from its socket-,and unwinding of the cord from the respective drum whereby said tool may be extended from said cabinet, and spring means for resist-ing unwinding rotation of said drum and for rotating said drum to rewind said cord upon release of the respective tool.

3. In a dental unit, the combination of a supporting pedestal, an arm extending therefrom` a cabinet on the end of said arm having a central hollow huh. a tier of drums within said cabinet rotatably mounted on said hub, a cord Wound around cach drum and anchored at its inner end to the hub, an instrument at the outer end of each cord, supports on said cabinet for said instruments, release of an instrument from its support and pull thereon causing the respective drum to rotate and'unwinding of theI instrument cord therefrom whereby said instrument may be extended from said cabinet, some of said cords being adapted for the How of fiuid and other cords having electrical conductors therethrough, Huid terminals hub to the respective cords, and electric supply conductors extending through said arm to said terminals.

4. In a dental unit, the combination of a pedestal, a cabinet supported thereon, a

-plurality of concentric reels rotatable in said supports when the door is open and said cords selectively unwound from said reels, means for rotating the reels tonormal position to rewind the cords thereon, and' means for conducting power from said pedestal to said cords.

In a dental unit, the combination of a support. a drum rotatably mounted on said support, a cord anchored at its inner end tothe support at the axis of said drum and extending around the drum and terminating at its outer end in an instrument, pull on said instrument causing rotation of the drum, a sheave. journaled on said drum, a cable encircling said sheave and secured at its inner.l end thereto and at its outer end being anchored to said support to cause rotation of said sheave when said drum is rotated for unwinding of. said cord therefrom. and a spring resisting turning of said sheave and for restoring said sheave and drum to normal position upon release of the cord. i

6. In a dental unit, the combination of a support, a drum rotatably mounted on said support, a cord anchored at its inner end to the support at the axis of said drum and extending around the drum and terminating at its outer end in an instrument. pull on said instrument causing rotation of the drum, a sheave journaled on said drum. a cable encircling said sheave and secured at its inner end thereto and at its outer end being anchored to said support to cause rotation of said sheave when said drum is rotated for unwinding of said cord therefrom, and a spring resisting turning of said sheave and for restoring said sheave and drum to normal posit-ion upon release of the cord, said cord passing around said sheave to be guided thereby into engagement with the drum periphery.

7. In a dental unit, the combination of a support, a drum structure journaled on said support for rotational movement and having a drum surfacel adjacent to its periphery, a cord anchored at its inner end to said support and engaging with said drum surface and terminating at its outer end inan in.- strument, and a sheave on said drum structure for guiding said cord from said support to said drum surface. 7

periphery and forming a drum surface, acord anchored at its inner end to the support 'at the disc axis and engaging. with said drum surface and terminating at its outer end in" an instrumenta sheave on said discfor..

' 'a fcordwound at its inner end around said lh-ub, andl extending into the inside thereof guiding: said cord to said drum surface, said flange coing deflected inwardly along aisecl" tion thereof to form clearance space for accommodating said instrument.

9. In a' dental unit, the combinationof a hollow supporting hub, a drum struct-urel journa'led on saidY hub and having a guid l surface concentric therewith, a cord an# chored at its inner end to lsaid hub and extending to the interior thereof, the'outer end of said cord engaging said guide surface and terminating in an instrument, and

power supply connection with the of said cord. "y

10. In a dental unit, the combination of a supporting hub, a drum structure journaled on said hub and having a peripheral guide surface concentric with said hub, a cord wound at its inner end around said hub .and anchored thereto, the outer part of said cord inner end engaging said guide surface and terminatingV in an instrument, pull on said instrument causing rotation of said drum structure and unwinding of the cord from said surface and from said hub, and means resisting turning movement of said drum structure.

11. In a dental unit, the combination of a supporting hub, a drum structure journaled on said hub and having a peripheral guide surface concentric with the hub, a cordv wound at its inner end around said cord and anchored thereto, the outer part of said hub 'engaging with said surface and terminating mj an instrument, a sheave guiding said cord strctue and unwinding. of said cord yfrom 31 surface and hub and means resisting 'tion of said drum structure.

a dental unit, the combination of a Alit/)llora@supporting hub, a drum structure joui-nidad on said hub andlhaving a pe- -plierai guide surface concentric therewith,

for connection with power supply conductors, `the louter part of said cord engaging with .saidisurface and terminating in an 1nstrument, pull onsaid instrument causing rotation of 'said drum. structureand unwinding offthe cord from said surface and hub, and-"means resisting rotation of said drum structueand for returning it to normal position after release of the instrument.

v 'fr-13. Ina dental unit, the combination of a cord stationarily anchored at its inner end `at the drum structure axis and engaging lthe vfrom said hub to said surface, pull on said AAnstiu'nient causing rotation of said drum support, a cabinet on said support, a drum structure rotatable within said cabinet, a

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribeI` my name this 31st day of August, 1925.

ALPHONSE F. PIEPER. 

